Field for playing golf



Dec. 4, 1951 M. B. REACH FIELD FOR PLAYING GOLF Filed Nov. 27, 1948 ATTORN EYS Patented Dec. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIELD FOR PLAYING GOLF Milton B. Reach, Springfield, Mass.

Application ovember 27, 1948, Serial No. 62,354

1 Claim.

in my co-pending application Serial No. 787,216,.

filed November 20, 1947, now Patent No. 2,455,806, granted December 7, 1948.

Players of the game of golf vary greatly in their skill and aptitude, the usual deficiency in play being reflected in a lack of ability to hit the ball.

the required distance as called for in the arbitrary par figures established in the game. This lack of ability is particularly noticeable in women players who by nature lack the physical ability to impart the necessary force to the ball.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a field construction which makes possible group play by players of varying skill, each playing a game fitted to his own individual skill but all players within a group making shots from:;.

similar areas and without interruption of their social companionship during the play.

Other advantages of a specific and of a general nature of the improved construction will be described in the following disclosure of the invention in its preferred form as shown by the accompanying drawing in which appears a plan view of the improved golf playing field.

The general method of play and scoring are as disclosed in my aforesaid application. The general disposition of the various playing stations in their relation to the synchronized mass movement of players is also broadly the same. The method of play will be briefly described and the additional improvement to add utility to the field and its greater attractiveness generally to players will be pointed out.

In the drawing a rectangular playing field or fairway l of approximately 200 yards in length or greater is shown with a set of laterally spaced driving tees 2 disposed at one end thereof. At the opposite end fairway l is divided into areas 3, l and 5 by appropriate marking to designate distance zone lines 6, l arid 8. The area bounded by zone lines 6 and I might be designated as womens play, that bounded by lines I and 8 as average club play and that beyond zone line 8 as championship play. The lines would according to orthodox golf play, be distant from tees 2 by 120 yards, 165 yards and 200 yards respectively. A ball driven within or beyond the area designated by a particular players skill would of course be counted as a par one shot for that player. A miss would result in a penalty stroke or a two stroke tally.

Second shot tees 9 are disposed in spaced relation at the side and laterally of the fairway l and each presents a clear pathway to a target area ID or II. The targets are disposed in vertically spaced relation to the tees 2 at one end of the zoned end of fairway I. As disclosed in my aforesaid application the second shot tees are for playing iron or approach shots of the orthodox golf game and par for the second shot is represented hereby by a hit within a designated target area. As will be readily appreciated the different tees 9 are at varying distances from the targets I0 and H thus calling for the players use of all the various iron clubs during a game of 9 holes.

' Spaced greens l2 companion to the second tees are generally arranged adjacent to and rearwardly of the several tees 9. The players after making a second shot from tees 9 progress to putt and hole out on a green to determine their scores for a particular hole. Counting from left to right in the drawing there may be nine tees 9 to play on the field, the ninth green for the tee 9 at the extreme right in the example given being located directly behind the right hand tee 2 so as to simulate the proximity of a ninth green to the clubhouse which might be adjacent thereto.

The scheme of play and scoring therefor is as disclosed, par for a ball hit into the correct zone 3, 4, or 5, or to the target area on the second shot, with a penalty or additional stroke counted for a ball missing such designatedareas.

In the improved construction target vll has been placed on the field as an auxiliary target for a player of less than expert caliber and preferably in the form of a smaller water target of a construction similar to that shown and claimed in my aforesaid application. Target l lis placedas shown in the same general relation to the second tees 9 as target If! but at a lesser substandard distance from said tees. It is as shown located inwardly of target Ill and within the triangular area defined by target [0 and the opposite ends of the series of driving tees 2. In this manner interference and confusion with golf balls hit from other second tees 9 to either target is reduced to a minimum.

The added utility achieved by auxiliary target I I is revealed to particular advantage in its provision on the field of play of means whereby each player of less than expert caliber may arbitrarily set himself a required standard of play and accordingly tax his best skill. In addition the new arrangement permits an intermixing of target distances. For example, a woman player would generally play all approach shots to the substandard short target II. The championship player would generally play all second shots to the standard long target l0. But an average or club player might vary his target sequence by playing second shots to the short target when the long target is clearly beyond his reach and to the longtarget when his ability permits. Thus a foursome ofplayers of varying skills can'go around the course with one another, each taxing his best skill on each shot without interruption of social companionship during the entire game. And each player can pick his "course setting the standard of play required for his ability.

Furthermore, the improved field 'permits .a player the same latitude in the 'use of all .the various clubs whatever his rating or overall skill. It is well known for instance that the average woman 'player even with-the forward womens tees on the orthodoxgolf course is generally called upon to play perhaps three or four wood shots on a normal pare hole in order to keep up with a-rnan player'whose normal sequence is a drive, an approach to the-green, and one or more putts to hole out. Thus the average woman'player enjoys but infrequently the same opportunity to exercise-her skill with the various iron clubs and but rarely enjoys the sequence of shots madeby men.

With the new improvement described, howplayer by his lack of skill. Either may enjoy the sequence of shotsifor which the orthodox golf gamehas been designed, and they may compete witheach other and the expert'on an .shot' tees could be used to fulladvantage only by a player whose qualifications met the arbitrary standards fixed by the original design for thefield. Generally the gold field is designe'dto test the skill of the best'players who might use it. The new auXiliary'sub-standard target area ..-gives the field new flexibility and afar greater ever, the womanplayer is not penalized by the limitations of physical ability nor the average attractiveness for the average or sub-standard player and for group play. It will test any degree of skill of which a player is capable without compromising the physical layout in favor of players of one caliber or another.

Having disclosed my invention, I claim:

'A golf game structure comprising a playing field and on the field a fullsize fairway provided at one end thereof with a series of spaced driving tees for long wood drives along said fairway, a set of spaced second shot tees arranged along one edge of the fairway adjacent one end of said-series of driving tees, a target area 01T- set' from theopposite end portion of the fairway and forming a target for said second shot tees with'each' of the latter presenting separate pathsthereto of varying distances and at different angles transversely of the fairway, the second shot tee-adjacent'the end of said series of driving tees being most distant from said target, another set of tees consisting of a series of spacedsecond shot tees arranged at'the other end of said series of drivingtees and extending substantially in line therewithand curving toward said targetarea, said latter set 'ofisecond shot tees presenting separate paths to said target area substantially parallel with said fairway at the same side thereof and at varying distances from said target each beingless distant than the aforesaid most distant second :shot tee of said first set, a spaced putting green'located rearwardly ofeach of said second shot tees of each set, and'a secondtarget area inwardly spaced from said first target towardthe series of driving tees and positioned outside said fairwvay and within the triangular area formed by the first target and the second shot tees adjacent each end of the series of driving tees each of said target areas-being of a size similar to and to simulate a green used as a target on an orthodox golf course.

MILTON B. REACH.

REFERENCES orrnp The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,851,423 Ely Mar. 29, 1932 2,195,634 Shelly Apr. 2, 1940 2,455,806 Reach Dec. 7, 1948 

